A Letter from the Publisher: Why Local Journalism Matters More Than Ever

There are moments when it’s worth taking a step back and asking a basic question. What really keeps a community united?

Is it our schools, our businesses, our neighborhoods, or the shared experiences that shape where we live?

The answer is all of those things. But there is something that connects them, documents them, and gives them meaning over time. Something that informs, challenges, records, and reflects the life of a community every single day.

That something is local journalism.

On April 9, we will join news organizations across the country in celebrating Local News Day. While it’s presented as a day of celebration, it is, more importantly, a moment for reflection and a call to action. It serves as an opportunity to recognize not only what local journalism does but also why it is so vital to the health and future of our communities.

At its core, local journalism serves several essential roles.

First, it informs. It offers trustworthy, fact-based reporting that helps residents understand what is happening around them, including in city halls, schools, businesses, and neighborhoods. It assists individuals in making informed decisions about their families, livelihoods, and futures.

Second, it holds power accountable. Local journalism ensures that elected officials, institutions, and organizations operate transparently and responsibly. It asks questions when others cannot or will not. It sheds light where it is most needed. Without that presence, accountability weakens, and trust erodes.

Third, and often overlooked, local journalism acts as the historian and archivist of a community.

Every story we publish becomes part of the permanent record of this place. Births, achievements, challenges, growth, setbacks, milestones, and defining moments are all documented, preserved, and made accessible to future generations. Long after today’s headlines fade, the record remains. Families look back on it. Communities depend on it. Historians study it. It becomes the recorded story of who we were, how we lived, and how we evolved.

There is no replacement for that record. Social media doesn’t preserve it. National outlets do not capture it. It demands a dedicated local presence: people who are here, understand the community’s nuances, and are committed to telling its story honestly and fully.

Local journalism also plays an essential role in community connection. It introduces us to our neighbors. It highlights the successes of local businesses. It brings attention to issues that need collective action. It fosters a shared understanding of what matters here. In many ways, it is one of the few remaining institutions that reaches every part of a community.

The reality is that across the country, this vital institution faces increasing pressure. Newsrooms have shut down. Coverage has lessened. Entire communities have lost their main source of local information and historical record. When that occurs, the effects are immediate and long-lasting. Civic engagement drops. Misinformation rises. Communities become less connected.

We believe that the outcome is not inevitable.

Local News Day is an opportunity to reaffirm a shared commitment that local journalism has value, plays a critical role, and deserves support.

Every day, our team works in this community to support that mission: attending public meetings, reporting on issues affecting your daily life, and telling the stories of the people, businesses, and organizations shaping this region... capturing moments that will define how this community is remembered in the future.

If you read our work, rely on it, or find value in staying informed and connected, then you are part of this effort. This is your newsroom as much as it is ours.

On April 9, we will open our doors a bit wider. We will introduce you to the people behind the reporting. We will highlight the impact of local journalism in this community. And we will invite you to help ensure this work continues, not just today but for the long term.

Strong communities are built on informed citizens. Informed citizens rely on trusted local journalism. And trusted local journalism depends on the community it serves.

That is the responsibility we bear. That is the role we are proud to fulfill. And with your support, that is the legacy we will keep building together.

Thank you for being part of this community, and for supporting local journalism.

Clint Schroeder

President and Executive Publisher

Hagadone Media Group

For additional information about supporting local journalism: www.inlandnorthwestjournalism.org